AnySource channels $3.2M for on-demand internet TV

AnySource Media, a company that makes embedded software for HDTVs to stream internet video on-demand, just raised $3.2 million in capital from NextStage Capital, Murex Investments and assorted angel backers. The company says it wants to deliver online video in a unique way that eliminates the need for a set-top box or elaborate wiring.

The product has yet to launch officially, but the Malvern, Penn. company says it will use its new money to commercialize … Continue Reading

Google advertising appearing in iPhone applications? [confirmed]

Google wants its ad engine to serve up ads everywhere — and today we’re seeing some on iPhone applications. Specifically on restaurant review app Urbanspoon. We’re also hearing that they’re appearing in another application, Backgrounds.

[Update: I just got off the phone with Urbanspoon creator Ethan Lowry. He confirmed that his company and Google have just begun testing these ads. It's still too early to say how Google's offering compares to those of … Continue Reading

Samsung starts making new kind of indoor displays

Samsung Electronics said today it has begun producing a more economical breed of digital displays for indoor applications where round-the-clock use isn’t needed.

The so-called Basic Digital Information Displays, (B-DID), will widen the market for digital displays, the South Korean company said. The displays can be used in stores, restaurants, schools, museums and other places.

These displays are cheaper to use as digital signs than liquid-crystal displays that consume power 24 hours a day. These … Continue Reading

After complete re-architecture, Apple finally ready to push Push Notifications

At its iPhone 3.0 event today, Apple gave some details about what is coming in the new version of its software development kit (SDK). There are a ton of changes, but one of the most anticipated is that its Push Notification system is finally ready to go.

If you recall — and we’ll forgive you if you don’t since Apple first announced it so long ago — Push Notification is the system by which Apple … Continue Reading

30 million iPhones sold — now that's a game platform

With more than 29 million Xbox 360s on the market, no one debates whether Microsoft has succeeded in creating a viable video game platform anymore. Developers have flocked to it.

Now Apple has proven that its mobile platform is just as solid. The company announced this morning that it has sold more than 30 million iPhones and iPod Touch products. And there are now more than 25,000 applications available for download on those devices, including … Continue Reading

App Store: 25,000 apps, 800 million downloads

At its iPhone 3.0 software preview event in Cupertino, Calif. today, Apple gave out some pretty huge statistics for the iPhone platform so far. The two big ones: There are now over 25,000 apps in the App Store, and those apps have been downloaded over 800 million times.

It took Apple just eight months to reach the 25K/800 million mark. And given previous statistics, that means the store is still growing as strong as ever. … Continue Reading

Liveblogging Apple's iPhone OS 3.0 event

I’m about to head down to an Apple event in Cupertino, Calif. As is usually the case, little is known for certain about what Apple will unveil, except that it will involve a preview of its iPhone 3.0 software. The rumors include everything from cut-and-paste functionality, which seems likely, to a tablet computer, which seems less likely. And a source tells VentureBeat writer MG Siegler that the announcement may involve a way to integrate iPhone … Continue Reading

Omek Interactive to launch 3-D camera for gesture-controlled games

Aiming at making next-generation games possible, Omek Interactive is announcing today that it has created a new Motion Game System that uses a 3-D camera to capture a player’s movements and integrate them into video game play.

In doing so, the company will be competing with the Nintendo Wii and Sony PlayStation EyeToy already on the market and upcoming technologies from software-based rivals Softkinetic and GestureTek. The company is betting that 3-D camera technology will … Continue Reading

Is Facebook becoming a new mobile advertising platform?

One of the most explosive successes over the past year has been Apple’s iPhone. Now, with tens of thousands of developers building applications to run on the iPhone, these developers are looking for the next step: a nice way to make money from all the users they’re getting through the iPhone.

Turns out, Facebook might be a good place to start. If say, a popular game application gets a user to sign in using their … Continue Reading

Apture raises $4.1M for richer news browsing

Apture, a company that helps publishers integrate multimedia content into their browsing experience, has only been getting better since I last covered it in June, having added new features addressing many of my reservations. And now the San Mateo, Calif. startup has raised $4.1 million in a first round of venture funding.

On a conceptual level, Apture is similar to the more established Snap Shots — both products allow you to open smaller windows within … Continue Reading

Source: iPhone 3.0 apps to play well with other devices

In a few hours, Apple will show off its iPhone 3.0 operating system for the first time at an event at its headquarters in Cupertino, Calif. The event, which came up at the last minute, is expected to showcase some major changes to the platform. Today, I’ve heard what one of those change may be.

Apple is likely looking at a way to integrate iPhone and iPod touch apps with other devices, a trusted source … Continue Reading

Microsoft's cloud goes dark for 22 hours

Pop quiz: What’s the worst thing that could happen in the cloud? Microsoft certainly knows the answer. Especially after Azure, the company’s foray into cloud computing services, melted down this past weekend. It gets better — this massive outage comes five days before Azure’s moment in the sun at this week’s Mix Online developer’s conference in Las Vegas.

Though the project is still in its infancy, I can’t help but recall last October’s steadfast reassurance … Continue Reading

Mogees adds BlackBerry to its flexible payment platform

A startup called Mogees wants to give developers more control over how they make money from mobile applications, and now it’s expanding its reach. The Mountain View, Calif. company is launching a new software development kit (SDK) that lets developers add its payment system to apps on Research in Motion‘s BlackBerry smartphones.

Mogees already launched an SDK for Google’s Android Market last November; I would expect to see similar offerings for popular smartphones like Apple’s … Continue Reading

So what if Netflix is throttling its streaming movies?

Netflix‘s streaming movie service is still relatively new, but I’ve noticed that the performance has gotten plunky recently. A possible culprit could be the switch to Microsoft’s Silverlight platform, but the folks at The “Break It Down” Blog are pointing to something a little more nefarious. You guessed it — bandwidth throttling.

The accusation stemmed for a series of tests that were performed after one of their bloggers experienced subpar picture and load times from … Continue Reading

Conduit Labs unveils Loudcrowd social music game site

Conduit Labs is launching a public beta for its Loudcrowd social music game site today in an attempt to create a community that combines social networking with casual game play.

The site is a platform for multiple web-based games, and the Boston company is kicking it off with a party at the South by Southwest conference this week in Austin, Texas.

Conduit is billing Loudcrowd as a place where you can listen to original music … Continue Reading

The economy clouds solar's skies

For a while, it seemed that the solar power sector would weather the downturn fairly unscathed — but it hasn’t been so lucky, at least in the short run. Not only has venture capital dried up for experimental technology startups, but fewer and fewer homeowners are able to afford upgrades like rooftop solar panels, reports the San Jose Mercury News. The frozen credit market has only made matters worse, stalling capital projects — like utility-scale … Continue Reading

Gazillion to launch series of major online games with Marvel Comics characters

Online game startup Gazillion Entertainment is announcing today a major partnership with comic book king Marvel Entertainment to build a series of online game worlds with Marvel’s comic book characters.

The first game is a kid-oriented online world based on brand-new Marvel property Super Hero Squad. This show for kids will debut on the Cartoon Network in the fall and the game will debut sometime in 2010. Gazillion, based in San Mateo, Calif., has already … Continue Reading

Nintendo wins Wii controller patent dispute

A federal court has dismissed a lawsuit brought against Nintendo over patents related to the Wii and GameCube game controllers.

Fenner Investments, a Richardson, Texas-based investment firm, alleged that the game controllers infringed on its patent, U.S. No. 6,297,751. The case was due to begin a trial on Tuesday.

Nintendo said it is pleased with the decision. But the company has been the regular target of patent holders who are trying to collect royalties.

Among … Continue Reading

GamesBeat 09 survey: mapping the game industry's future

We invite you to participate in VentureBeat’s GamesBeat 2009 Survey.

We’d like your quick take on the state of the video game industry. In return for your time, you’ll get a copy of the full survey results (we’re releasing the highlights publicly at our conference on March 24). This is short and sweet — no more than 3 minutes, we promise!

See you at the GamesBeat 09 conference next Tuesday,

Matt Marshall & Dean Takahashi… Continue Reading

Tekarma centralizes product reviews, customer support (invites)

Tekarma, a web site that compiles user-generated product reviews and tips in one place, launched its private beta last week. For now, the site is focused primarily on electronics, household items, cars, video games and sporting goods. Users have the ability to upload a product, or edit information for any of the others, including specs, description, reviews, FAQs, web resources, a general discussion board and even product surprises they my have encountered. Follow the link … Continue Reading